This is perfect. Weirdly enough, I was also 10 when I decided that New York was the only place for me, and a decade later, I’m still sure of it. Ever since high school, I’ve been enamored with Andy Warhol’s Factory (and Edie Sedgwick and Patti Smith and the Velvet Underground) and the St. Marks Place poetry scene (EILEEN MYLES) and really just everything about the city. I still believe there’s nowhere on earth that comes close to the true awesomeness of New York.

This is amazing! So many complex and fascinating issues about urban life (in NYC but also many other cities) presented beautifully! It’s a really wonderful snapshot of the city and things that are important to the people living there. As an urban planning student/huge nerd there is just so much packed in here that I want to think about now…. Thank you! Now I can go back to studying for my exams invigorated ;)

It’s awesome to see both sides of New York laid out. My sister lives in Brooklyn and works in Manhattan so I knew the pros and cons before reading this, but I think most people don’t get to read about what it’s really, really like. I loveee New York. (I’m actually going there next month for my high school graduation present!) Just wish it wasn’t so expensive. Awesome drawings & water color.

ahh this is my struggle right now!! i’m deciding on whether or not to go to a college just outside of nyc and i can’t decide if i like new york or not??? my younger self is all excited and idealistic about all of the art and exciting stuff going on…. but then i have to be more realistic and realize that its super far away and depressing winters and soooo much money.
ahhhhhhhh
(thanks fer listening)

A friend of mine studied in NYC for a few years, and recently came back to her home country after some visa things fell through. She would tell me about all the wonderful things she would get up to there as a student, and the thriving art scene there.

She felt like New York was her home, but she could never really get over how lonely and isolated you would feel in the city…despite how full of people it is. Not to mention the gentrification and the skyrocketing cost of living there.

I suppose the myth of New York has become bigger than they were anticipating. (I’d still love to visit, though. Even if the holiday would possibly bankrupt me.)

Love this! I’m from New York (I don’t live there anymore) and I mostly really like it, but there’s this boy at my school who says he wants to separate New York from the USA, because “there’s too much traffic and the people are mean”. Ugg. Anyways I’m really excited to visit for easter! <3

This was beautiful, honest, and hilarious! NYC, like any other city, has it’s pros and cons. It isn’t perfect, you can’t expect it to be. Your life isn’t going to be magically better by moving to another city. No matter where you move on this earth, you can’t find heaven. You can, however, find home, a place that feeds your mind, body, and soul. You stick together through the good and the bad. Maybe that’s NYC, maybe it isn’t.

I love this so much! i recently spent a week in new york with some very close friends, and it was the most magical moment (or series of moments…) i’ve lived in California all my life and on the one hand i don’t think i could or will ever leave because i can’t live away from the ocean, but on the other, i love new york very passionately and it suits my kind of person very well. i miss that week in new york very much; it was the first time when i had moments that were so lovely that i couldn’t write about them. i can’t describe it, but it was a very ephemeral and very celestial feeling. oh well, i would give anything to go back.

I have been living in NYC almost 2 years and I still don’t fully get the hype! But I do appreciate how densely packed it is – and all types of people in one place. You do see things that you wouldn’t see most other places.

Even though the only time I’ve been to NYC is for a four-day leg on a vacation trip, I loved this to bits. It’s so expressive, upfront, and poignant. I loved seeing the opinions of locals; something that I personally never get exposed to because of the massive idealism associated with New York.

I’ll be matriculating at NYU this fall and these slides nicely summed up how I expect to feel/want to know. Thank you. I’m a little petrified and weary and expectant and overwhelmed all at the same time, but I’m bookmarking this for future reference to see if I feel the same way. :)

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Rookie is an online magazine and book series for teenagers. Each month, a different editorial theme drives the writing, photography, and artwork that we publish. Learn more about us here, and find out how to submit your work here!